


United Once More

by OneLonelyWriter



Category: Violet Evergarden (Anime), ヴァイオレット・エヴァーガーデン - 暁佳奈 | Violet Evergarden - Akatsuki Kana
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Gen, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Movie Prediction, One shot?, THEY DESERVE IT, Violet is 19 like in the novel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-30
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:14:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25045207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OneLonelyWriter/pseuds/OneLonelyWriter
Summary: Gilbert was ready to face Violet again a year after that dreaded final memory, overjoyed to be able to see her in her life as an Auto Memory Doll.But is Violet ready to accept Gilbert back into her life once more?
Relationships: Gilbert Bougainvillea & Violet Evergarden, Gilbert Bougainvillea/Violet Evergarden
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	United Once More

All it takes is a letter.

A single letter is all it takes for one of the greatest soldiers to break down in tears and declare that he will travel hundreds of miles to meet it's sender.

This man in question is Gilbert Bougainvillea. And it's sender is Violet Evergarden.

Gilbert Bougainvillea was no longer the same, loyal solider from only a year ago. No, he had ended up leaving the military and his status of Major to turn to a life of peace and solitude, following the example of his comrades.

He had slightly longer black hair that constantly fell over his eye patch and into his piercing green eye that now looked a lot more haunted, but more serene. His prosthetic arm that ended at his elbow creaked almost silently as he picked up another piece of paper from the pile on his desk.

Gilbert had been sitting in his office of his new house hidden up in the mountains, pouring over mundane things, when he had received a letter slipping through his mail slot. He usually ignored it, but something told him to check it. He grabbed his newly made coffee, he walked over and flipped the normal looking envelope over to see it's sender's name.

_Violet Evergarden._

He almost dropped his coffee right on the rug. He instantly rushed into his backroom where his telephone was to call his good friend, Claudia Hodgins, for a polite conversation (well, his version of a polite conversation) regarding the letter.....

And that's how Gilbert finds himself in the interior of his best friend's, Claudia Hodgins, office of a business postal company. It's a grand building, if a little plain, home to employees of many; all from different genders, different backgrounds, different demeanors. It's honestly a great achievement, and give Gilbert any other day and he'd be glad to take Claudia out to celebrate, but right now-

Right now, he's continuously shifting his weight back and forth, waiting for his friend to bring the girl of his dreams through the door and see him. It's enough to make any man, even one as stoic and serious as Gilbert, to lose composure at least a little bit.

He keeps scanning the door and it's decor, turning around to look out the grand window in the office. The streets and people below are bustling with energy, with it being midday, and Gilbert's glad it isn't completely quiet. He doesn't want to lose himself to his own thoughts.

He's come this far and he's not backing down now. He's waited too long for his moment.

There's a creak of the main door of the office swinging open, as well as shuffling feet following behind a quiet click of heels, which abruptly stop.

"Violet!" Gilbert swiftly turns to greet the Auto Memory doll in the doorway, watching as she completely freezes on the spot and her eyes widen noticeably. A small amount of happiness bursts forth once more and he somehow smiles wider, glad he could finally see her emote.

Behind her, there seems to have been a group following her, no doubt curious about Claudia's urgency of his request. It's her co-workers Claudia had told him about: Cattelya, Benedict, Iris and Erica, all of whom he's had the pleasure of seeing passing by before he came up to the office.

Cattelya is the closest to Violet, with a hand of her shoulder and a surprised smile. Iris and Erica stand next to Cattelya, with Iris clasping her hands together behind her and Erica adjusting her glasses, both wearing amused and excited expressions. Benedict stands in the back, looking over all of them (and is he wearing heels?) at him, a slightly narrowed expression but still wearing a smile. No doubt he's heard about him and Violet from Claudia.

Without thinking, he rushes up to meet her in the doorway where she stays frozen and all but crashes into her, enveloping her into a hug tightly. Her head is on her chest and her arms hang loosely at her sides, completely rigid, slightly worrying Gilbert.

It isn't as if he hadn't touched or embraced her before, even if it was unprofessional in the military. His comrades and superiors, coupled with Dietfried one too many times, had often called him out for it. Calling her a weapon and how he shouldn't be attached. It always enraged him to no end, and of course he ignored them all.

Violet broke him out of his thoughts and instantly quelled his anger when he focused back onto her starting to slowly raise her arms. But instead of wrapping them back around him, her arms came between them and placed firmly on his chest.

And pushed back from him.

He loosened his grip but didn't let go, leaning back from her to look down at her in confusion. She didn't meet his gaze, instead pushing back further away from him with probably a bit more force than necessary and effectively breaking the embrace, making him step back to keep balance.

Confusion and hurt flooded him, and he could tell he wasn't being good at hiding it. Iris, Erica, Cattelya, Benedict, and Claudia were all looking at the pair in worry.

Violet's head was down, hiding her eyes and her expression (if she wasn't hiding it). "Vi-" He tried, reaching out a hand once more towards her. And before he could touch her arm -her mechanical arm- she pulled her shoulder back.

Shit. This isn't how he'd thought it'd go. Why the hell would she want to see him after he essentially abandoned her?

"I- Major... Gilbert." Violet tries, not looking up at him or anyone, just lightly scuffing her boots on the marble floor. It hurts Gilbert to see her be so unsure, especially about him, but he certainly doesn't fault her.

Violet huffs, and simply turns away without looking at anyone and pushes past their audience, them parting automatically for her. Even so, Claudia tries to reach out a hand to stop her before Cattelya grabs it and just watches Violet go.

They all wear saddened and confused expressions, before turning back to face him. He knows he most likely looks like a broken man, but he doesn't really care, because he _is_ a broken man.

All he can think about is the retreating back of the girl of whom he loves, and doesn't stop himself when he starts to rush forward and past the crowd, bustling down the stairs that he saw her go down. She's fast, and she's already gone out the door, but Gilbert keeps chase.

He won't stop pursuing her. Not until he can talk to her, tell her how he feels.

He rushes out into the bustling streets, not caring for the odd glances sent his way undoubtedly because of his frazzled and wild looks. He looks left and right, up and down, all over, and Violet is nowhere in sight.

He rushes down the street, constantly pushing back his strands of hair that continuously fall into his face. He looks into every shop window, looks at every face, but none are those who bare the name of Violet Evergarden. 

It's almost night, the sun finally going away and the moon starting to rise and reveal all the stars in the sky, by the time he starts to slow down his search. Such a beautiful sight, but not as beautiful of the sight he catches on the bridge over the lake.

A shock to his system that makes him halt all his thoughts and movements. It's her: Violet.

Her figure is darkened, but he can clearly see her elegant frame, postured with her hands gripping the railing in front of her. Her hair is down from her braids, lightly swaying in the breeze, moonlight glinting off the blonde strands. Her eyes sparkle like always, blue easily reflecting the light from the moon.

Violet standing there on the bridge in the night while the moon and stars sparkle down on her and the lake... it's one of the most perfect things Gilbert would ever see. 

"Violet. I'm sorry." He blurts as soon as he gets close to her. She turns around quickly and away from the view, narrowing her eyes slightly at him. She's angry, Gilbert can tell and he almost flinches back at that fact, but stands his ground and walks a step closer. He repeats, "Violet. I am so sorry."

Violet turns to him, her eyes are slightly watery and that breaks his heart. He attempts to step closer to her, but she takes one back, uttering in such a soft tone he leans down to hear, "Why did you lie? Why did you make me mourn you?" And while she doesn't scream it, it hits him all the same as if she was. 

"I wanted you to live your own life." He half-heartedly explains, dropping his gaze down. He doesn't want to see those piercing blue eyes filled with such sadness he was never able to see before.

"But why did you have to leave me?" He voice is steady and strong, like it always is. But still soft and quiet, and he knows it's to keep her composure. How much has she changed that she no longer is able to keep a straight face?

"For this exact reason." She looks confused, so he clarifies, "You're questioning me. Instead of being completely overjoyed to see me, you're... upset... at me imposing."

"Do... you think I didn't want to see you?"

"I started to. Look, Violet, I never stopped thinking about you, ever! I wanted to come back, see you, so many times... but I couldn't. Or more, I thought I shouldn't."

"Why so?"

"I thought you may want to come back to my side. And that's all I ever wanted-" He adds at her look, "But I want you to be by my side because you want to be by my side. Not because you think you're my tool. Because Violet, you aren't. You never were. I never wanted you to be. I always wanted you to be... someone... worthy, capable, of leading a normal life."

She seems hesitant to say her next words, but after careful consideration, she opens her mouth to utter in a soft tone, "I followed your last order... your last wish." And as Gilbert is about to protest about how it was never an order, she continues before he can interrupt, "But I have grown beyond that. I never thought it possible, but I did. I'm no longer living for you, but I'm living for myself."

In that moment, she looks nothing like the girl he had met all those years ago. She's determined, and confident, and so sure of the life she is living... of herself. She had certainly grown into her name, all on her own, just as he had always wanted.

Gone is the girl who only thought herself a weapon, incapable of leading a life outside the battlefield. In her place is a woman who _is_ one with words and characters, capable of leading the world to follow their hearts.

He can't help but chuckle lightly as he leans against the bridge's railing with her. His grin remains even as he stares off into the moonlit water below the two. 

"You know, I heard of your expeditions... around the world. All the people you've helped. I've read up about every single one from Claudia."

"Oh." Is all she says, not quite sure what he's getting at or what to say.

"Yeah. Helping out a playwright, Oscar, and him having make a play in honor of you. Or that songstress, what's her name, Aria, and helping her make a song to sing. And you know, helping out a queen seems pretty cool."

"Cool." Violet says back, and Gilbert looks at her to see if he needs to describe it to her. But he smiles when he sees she just has a deadpan expression on her face, as if scolding him for the lame expression.

He snorts. "Okay, fine. Uh... impressive, honorable. Though to you, it might seem a trivial task." He waves his hand dismissively at her, before leaning off the railing and turning to her, suddenly serious. "But, Violet-"

Are you okay? Do you want to be here? Do you hate me? Why don't you yell at me? Have you changed? Do you need me? Do you _want_ me? Is all the questions Gilbert wants to ask her, but he doesn't, because he knows the answers... or doesn't want to know them.

So he simply settles for what he thinks might be the most important question, and the most simple for her if she has truly changed, "Are you happy?"

"...Yes."

"Truly?"

"Truly." Her voice is determined, and she reached up to clutch at the brooch she had been gifted by him. It seems to be a habit of reassurance now, instead of a declaration that he was still here. Her eyes stay focused out on the water's rippling surface, "I enjoy helping people. More than I ever could have being a part of the war."

"You enjoyed that?" He asks, his heart sinking a bit. He never wanted her to think of fighting or war as a good thing, or at least, something to not be enjoyed.

"I do not know... I didn't feel much towards it. It's just something I have always known." She answers simply.

"I see."

"But there is no need to worry anymore, M- Gilbert. I have no intention of going back to the military... to be used." She turns to look at him, dropping her hand from the brooch, "I want to stay. I want to help people. I want to be happy."

And damn, if he wasn't satisfied when she first walked through that door to meet him again, he was definitely sold now. He never had to worry about Violet, and now looking at her standing tall, he feels ridiculous he ever did. She definitely bloomed like her namesake.

And Gilbert has no doubt she'll continue on; spreading her own words of wisdom and happiness from her letters.

"...I see. Then I am no longer needed."

"Will I see you again, Ma- Gilbert?" She asks earnestly, perhaps afraid he might disappear once more. He smirks.

"I rush anywhere you desire. At your service, Gilbert Bougainvillea." He gives a small bow.

She laughs. A real, small, and genuine laugh that Gilbert can't help but grin at and laugh with her. She rushes forward suddenly, her prosthetic arms curling around his wide frame in an embrace. He stumbles, out of shock and not her small frame's force of which is being incredibly gentle, before wrapping his arms back around her and leaning down to place his head on her shoulder.

"I love you, Violet." He whispers into her hair. Simple three words, eight letters, but hold all the truth and meaning in the world. They've always been true to him. And always will be. Forever and always.

She leans her head back to look up at him. Her eyes sparkle their incaptivating blue, shone with light tears. She smiles once more, small but genuine, as she says the words that he's always wanted to hear from her, "I... love you too, Gilbert." Forever and always.

Forever and always.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm ready for the movie, even if it doesn't release in my country for a few months after August. But either way, I don't see enough Violet Evergarden fanfics, so here I am. My own version of their reunion, even if it is in the light novel (which I'm currently reading). I've been working on it a few days, so I wanted to just get it out now.  
> One shot for now unless people want more.  
> -OLW out!


End file.
